Can-capping machine.



No. 831.029. PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906. S. K. BERGLAND & J. H. TEIGEN.

CAN GAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.26. 1905.

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No. 831,029. PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906. S. K. BERGLAND & J. H. TBIGEN.

CAN CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.26, 1905.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAAVE K. BERGLAND AND JOHN H. TEIGEN, OF LAKE MILLS, IOWA.

CAN-CAPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 26,1905. Serial No. 293,169.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAAVE K. BERGLAND and JOH H. TEIGEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Lake Mills, in the county of Winnebago and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Capping Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to can-capping machines, and is in the nature of an improvement on the cap-applying device disclosed and claimed in our prior patent, No. 670,835 issued March 26, 1901.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate our invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showingour improved device and illustrating a portion of the can-feeding belt or conveyer, some parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale, looking downward at the same at an angle of about forty-five degrees from the left toward the right with respect to Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately on the line a 90 of Fig. 3.

Of the parts of the capping-machine proper, only the endless can-conveyer 1 is shown in the drawings, and this is shown only in part and in diagram. The numeral 2 indicates the cans and'the numeral 3 the caps, which caps have flanged edges that fit in depressed I annular seats 4, that surround the openings in the tops of thecan.

As illustrated, the improved device is supported entirely from a vertical spindle 5, that is. suitably secured at its lower end to some fixed partof a machine-frame. (Not shown.) Rigidly secured to the upper end of the fixed spindle 5 is a horizontally-extended supporting-bracket 6.

The caps 3 are placed in pockets 7, which pockets are, as shown, arranged in a circular row and secured to the upper face of a wheel 8, ournaled to the rojecting end of the bracket 6 and rovided with peripheral teeth I 9, said teeth eing in number equal to the pockets 7. For a purpose which will presently appear the pockets 7 are formed with diametrically opposite notches 7.

A step-by-step movement of the wheel 8 is v imparted by means of a long springpressed cured on said shaft.

pawl 10, carried by an arm 11 of a short verti'cal shaft 12, which shaft is ournaled in the bracket 6 and is provided at its lower end with a projecting arm 13. A torsion-spring 14 and shaft 12, secured to the arm 13 and to the bracket 6, normally hold the arms 11 and 13 and pawl 10 in the position shown in Fig. 1.

By means of a cap-selector or pick-up device presently to be described the caps are taken one at a time from the pockets 7 and are delivered into the open u per end of a troughlike hopper 15, which opper is rigidly se cured to a short horizontal shaft 16, mounted in suitable bearings 17 on the bracket 6. The hopper 15 is thus mounted for pivotal movements in a vertical plane, and the downward movement thereof is limited by a stop-finger 18 on said shaft 16,*which engages with a stop 19 on the bracket 6.

The free lower end of the delivery-hopper 15 stands in the path of movement of the up- "per ends of the cans carried by the conveyer 1, and the under plate thereof is notched at 21, so that the upper end of the can may directly engage with the lower flanged edge of the cap 3, which is held in the bottom of the hop er. The upper plate of the hopper, at the ower edge thereof, is cut away, and an escape-gate 22 is mounted to work therein. This esoapeate22 is secured to a short shaft 23, mounted in hearings on the hopper 15, and provided with a trip-arm 24, having an adjustable weight 25, which weight yieldinglyholds the escape-gate 22 closed, so that the cap 3 in the said hopper will not fall out thereof by its own'weight. The free end of the trip-arm 24 also stands in position to be engaged by the upper ends of the cans, as willbe more fully described under the heading Operation.

The numeral 26 indicates a leaf-spring,

which is secured at its upper end to the hop-.

der the heading Operation A star-wheel 29, which, as shown, has five arms, is loosely journaled on the spindle 5 and is supported by a collar-30, rigidly sei The arms of this starwheel 29 stand in position to be -engaged by LOO which will also be more fully described un- IIO the lower portions of the cans 2 as they are moved past the same by the conveyer 1. Loose on the spindle 5, but rigidly secured to the hub of the star-wheel 29, is a sleeve 31, to 5 the upper end of which sleeve is rigidly secured a spur-gear 32. The spur-gear 32 meshes with a spur-pinion 33, secured to the lower end of a short shaft 34, mounted in a suitable bearing in the bracket 6 and provided at its upper end with a crank-arm'35. At its free end the arm is provided with an axially-extended roller-equipped stud 36, and near its free end it is provided with a vertically-extended roller-equipped stud 37, the roller of which is quite long. With thefivearmed star-wheel 29 the relation of the gear 32 to the pinion 33 should be five to one, so that the crank-arm 35 will be given one complete rotation foreach one-fifth rotary movement of said star-wheel 29. It will of course be understood that the passing of each can '3 past the star-wheel operates on one arm thereof and imparts a one-fifth rotary movement to said starwheel. The sleeve 31 carries an arm'38, which, as shown, is U-shaped and is longitudinally adjusted. For each complete rotation of the :star-wheel 29, and hence for each five rotations of the crank'35, the arm 38 will engage the arm 13"of the shaft 12 and will cause the pawl 10 to impart one step of movement to the cap-carrying wheel 8.

To a projection 6 of the bracket 6 a ful-- crum block or stud 39 is pivoted for oscil- 3 5 latory movements on a vertical axis. A

pick-up lever 40 is pivoted at its intermediate portion, but quite near to one end, to the oscillatory fulcrum-head 39 for movements in a vertical plane and in a horizontal plane. At one end the lever 40 is provided with an adjustable weight 41, and at its other end it is provided with a horseshoemagnet 42, the arms of which project down- Ward. J The disposition of the lever 40 is such that in oneposition the magnet 42 will stand at thevertical line with one of the pockets 7 of the wheel 8 and in vertical linev with the a vertical portion of an approximately L- shaped slot formed in the guide-bracket44, secured to the main bracket 6. The guidebracket 44 preferably extends on a curved line struck from the axis of the fulcrum-head 39. When the long end of the lever 40 is raised and moved to the horizontal extremity of the guide-slot 43, the ends of the magnetarms pass through a notch 45, cut in the top plate of the hopper 15. The pick-up magnet 42, near the extremities of its downturned arms, has a rigidly-secured laterall -projectmg guard-arm 42, constructed 0 brass or ot er non-magnetic metal and arranged to prevent the caps from being turned verti cally and stuck to the side of the magnet.

The lever4O has a lateral extension that is formed with a segmental-slot 46, in which the long roller of the stud 37 of the crank-arm 35 works. This segmental slot 46 is so formed that when the lever 40 stands as shown in Fig. 1 it will extend concentric to the axis of rotation of said crank-arm. On the under side of the lateral extension of the lever 40, adjacent to the left-hand extremity of the slot 46, is a cam-lug 47, which the roller of the stud 36 of the crank-shaft 35 will engage, as hereinafter described.

Operation: We'will assume the normal position of the parts to be those shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at which time the cap supporting and carrying wheel and the pick-up lever 40 are at restand the poles of the magnet 42 are in contact with the uppermost cap 3, which is contained in the pocket or cap-holder 7, directly below said magnet. ,It may be here noted that the notches 7 in the said pockets afford clearance for the fingers of the operator 8 5 in placing the caps in the said pockets. The

ockets 7 are, as shown, constructed to hold, about fifteen caps, and the said pockets will, by an attendant, be kept full or nearly full of the said caps. It is necessary for the proper 9 operation of the machine constructed as described that at least five caps be in any particular pocket when it comes into position under the pickup magnet. The pocketcarrying wheel 8 is rotated with an intermit tent movement in the direction of the arrow marked thereon in Fig. 1. When the can comes in contact with one of the arms of the star-wheel 29 under a movement of the conveyer 1 from the right toward the left with respect to Fig. 1, it imparts to said starwheel, as already stated, a one-fifth of a complete rotation and to the pinion 33 and crank-arm 35 complete rotation in the direction of the arrow marked in the slot 46 on Fig. 1 5 1. The crank 35 makes nearly a one-half rotation before its long roller-equipped stud 37 reaches the other limit of the slot 46 of the pick-up lever 40 but just before the said. roller-equip ed stud reaches the limit of said 1 I slot the rol er-equi ped stud 36 engages the cam-lug 47 of sald ever and raises the end of .said lever and its magnet 42, so that the magnet is carried out of the pocket 7 and the lever is raised into line with the horizontal portion 1 I5 of the guide-slot 43 of the bracket 40. While the lever is thus raised, the stud 37, having reached the limit of its free movement in the slot 46, moves the lever 40 in the horizontal portion of the guide-slot 43 into theposition; 12 shown by dotted lines in Fig." 1 The magnet 42, of course, carries the engaged cap 3 first upward and then toward the open upper end of the hopper 15, and it enters the said mp into the said hopper before the lever 40 12 5 closely approaches the limit of the horizontal portion of the slot 43. By reference to Fig. 2

it will seen that the extended portion of the slot 43 curves upward. This upward curve or rise of the slot 43 is such that after the cap has' been entered into the upper end of the hopper 15 the magnet will be caused to rise and pull itself away from the cap which is then held by the upper plate of the hopper, the notch 45 at this time affording clearance for the passage of the depending arms of the said magnet. At a time just after the cap has been deposited in the hopper 15, as above described, the can to which the cap is to be applied comes into engagement with the trip-arm 24 of the escape-gate 22, thereby letting the cap slide onto the top of the can,

approximately in registration with the capseat 4 of said can. The spring 26 presses the cap flat onto the top of the can and causes the downturned flanged edge of said cap to enter the said cap-seat 4, whereupon the cap will be carried out from under the said spring under the forward movement of the can. The cap is then properly positioned on the can for soldering. The cap-carrying wheel 8 remains stationary while the pick-up lever 40 makes five movements from the positioned pocket 7 to the hopper 15, and thereby delivers five caps from the said pocket into the said hopper; but when the said pick-up lever is given its fifth return movement from the hopper to the said pocket the arm 38, acting upon the arm 13, moves the pawl 10 toward the right with respect to Fig. 1 and imparts a step of movement to said wheel 8, thereby bringing another pocket under the magnet 42. This step of movement is of course imparted to the said wheel 8 before the magnet is permitted to drop into the said pocket.

In actual practice the device above described has been found to operate in a most satisfactory manner.

What we claim, and desire to secure by iLetters Patent of the United States, is as folows:

1. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a pocket for holding the caps, a receptacle for the caps arranged to apply the same to the cans, and a pick-up device operating automatically to pick up the .caps from said holder and deliver the same into said receptacle, substantially as described.

2. The combinatiog with means for feed ing cans in succession, of a holder for the caps, a hopper arranged to receive the caps and deliver the same to the cans, said hopper having a hinged escape-gate arranged to be opened by the cans, and means for delivering the caps from said holder into said hopper, substantially as described.

3. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a recePtacleadapted to receive the caps and to apply the same to the cans, said receptacle having an escapegate arranged to be opened by the cans, sub: stantially as described.

" 4. The combination with means for feedin cans in succession, of a receptacle adapted to receive the caps and to deliver the same to the cans, said receptacle having a gravityclosed escape-gate arranged to be opened by the cans, substantially as described.

5. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a pivotally-mounted hopper adapted to receive the caps and to deliver the same to said cans, said hopper having an escape-gate arranged to be opened by the cans, substantially as described.

6. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a receptacle adapt"- ed to receive the caps and to deliver the same to said cans and provided with a spring-fin ger arranged to press the caps over the seats in the tops of the cans, substantially as described 7. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a pivoted hopper arranged to receive the caps and to deliver the same onto the cans, said hopper having. an escape-gate arranged to be opened by the cans, and a spying-finger arranged to press the caps into the seats in the tops of said cans, substantially as described.

8. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a cap-holder, and means operated by the cans for picking up the caps from said capholder, one at a time, and delivering the same to said cans, substantially as described.

9. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a cap-holder, a receptacle adapted to receive the caps and to deliver the same to said cans, and means operated by the cans for picking up the caps from said holder, one at a time, and deliver ing said caps to said receptacle, substantially as described.

10. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a cap-holder. a hopper adapted to receive the caps and to deliver the same onto said cans, a pick-up lever adapted to move vertically and horizontally, and provided with a magnet arranged to pick up the caps, one at a time, from said holder and deliver the same into said hopper, under the complex movement of said lever, and means operated by the cans for imparting the said complex movements to said lever, substantially as described.

11. The combination with means for feeding cans in succession, of a cap-holder, a hop per adapted to receive the caps and deliver the same to the cans, a pick-up lever having a magnet and mounted for vertical and horizontal movements, to deliver the caps from said holder to said hopper, a guide controlling the vertical and horizontal movements of said lever, a star-wheel arrangedto be intermittently moved by the cans, and a crank driven from said star-wheel and'having devices for imparting both vertical and horizontal movements to said pick-up lever, substantially as described.

12. The combination with means for feed ing cans in succession, of a carrier having a plurality of cap-holders, a receptacle adapted to receive said caps and deliver the same to said cans, a pick-up lever having a magnet for picking up the caps from said holders and delivering the same to said receptacle, andmeans for imparting several movements to said pick-up arm to each movement of said holder equipped carrier, substantially as described. v

13; The combination with means for feed ing cans in succession, of a carrier having a plurality of cap-holders, a hopper adapted to receive said caps and to deliver the same to said cans, a pick-up lever having a magnet and mounted for vertical and horizontal movements, to. deliver said caps from said holders to said hopper, and means operated by the cans for imparting intermittent movements to said holder-equipped carrier and for imparting several complete movements to said pick-up arm for each intermittent movement of said carrier, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

SAAVE K. BERGLAND. JOHN H. TEIGEN. Witnesses: N. I. NELSON,

O. C. SEAR. 

